“You came to bargain with us.” The Prince slapped the deck with their hand, a sound that made Baru’s cheek sting. “Let me be plain. The use of people as instruments is anathema to me. I’d rather die in this ship than live as a pawn in some technocrat’s scheme.”

“I understand,” Iraji said, “I know the ways of trim: people must be ends in themselves, not means—”

“For Devena’s sake!” Baru erupted, driven to panic by the satirically stupid ethos of pigheaded moral stiffness. “We’re on a mission to stop this war, understand? We’re agents of the Imperial Throne and we’re searching for the Oriati who attacked Aurdwynn during last winter’s rebellion! We have to be in Parliament by summer’s end to report our findings! We were on our way to Kyprananoke, to ask one Unuxekome Ra about a certain Abdumasi Abd. And if you don’t help us, the mutineers in our navy will kill us, and there will be no one to stop open war!”

The Prince gasped aloud in relief. “Oh,” they said, falling back on their heels. “Oh, thank you, thank you. Good!”

Baru didn’t understand what was good about any of that. “You’re welcome?”

“Skepticism is understandable,” Tau said, breathlessly, “I know you come from a very different culture. But you’ve shared your honest thoughts with me. We found a connection. We are both looking for Abdumasi Abd. I suspect you want him to start the war, not to stop it, but at least we share a common purpose.”

Baru supposed that was true, in a roundabout way. She was looking for where Abd had been, and Tau was searching for where he had gone.

“I have to find Abdumasi.” Tau-indi held up clasped hands. “I have to make things right with him. That can stop the war. Don’t look so cynical, Baru. I am a diplomat. I believe trim acts through people, and I believe people can choose peace.”

“Your Highness,” Iraji whispered mournfully, “Abdumasi Abd is dead.”

Tau-indi blinked softly. They had a very kind face. “I hope you’re wrong.”

“The navy reported him killed at the Battle of Treatymont. Burned with his ships. If he’d been taken prisoner, perhaps he would have been sent to Moem for Execarne to interrogate … but he was not with those we found there.”